


Redemption

by Lianna_Kent, obsessorofmusic



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff and Smut, Lack of self-esteem, Love, M/M, Mentioned Physical Abuse, Mentioned mental abuse, Romance, School pupils, Teen Romance, Tutoring, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-18
Updated: 2016-02-18
Packaged: 2018-05-21 13:23:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6053143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lianna_Kent/pseuds/Lianna_Kent, https://archiveofourown.org/users/obsessorofmusic/pseuds/obsessorofmusic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Love can mend even the most broken of hearts. <br/>When school delinquent Reiner failed his exams, he felt hopeless. He was a failure in all senses of the word and just wanted to leave all reminders of his past behind. When he was drowning in his despair and the darkness felt as though it would finally consume him, a pair of haunting emerald eyes and an outstretched hand were to be his redemption. <br/>Would he be strong enough to take that hand?<br/>(Rated Explicit for content in later chapters. Some references to physical and mental abuse in later chapters.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Redemption

**Author's Note:**

> Notes: Hi everyone. This is our first multi-chapter story. It’s a ReinerxBertholdt love story and we hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed writing it. We have set the rating at Explicit as there will be explicit scenes in later chapters. We will be uploading a chapter a week.  
> The story is told from Reiner’s point of view and the first chapter introduces his character. It may feel a little slow but things will soon pick up.  
> As always we love to hear what you think, so please comment. Lots of love Lia and Obs xx

Another year over and the ridiculous exams that Year 12 had to sit had sealed Reiner’s fate once more. He peered down at the flimsy and very much crumpled paper in his hands. 

_I.T: U_

_Business: U_

_Public Services: U_

The paper had managed to stay clean and tidy for almost an hour after he first read it, but he didn’t find much need in protecting a piece of paper that proved to everyone that he was as thick as a log and truly helpless. The blond muscled idiot everyone already thought that he was. So here it was – crumpled between his fingers as he sat in Miss Ral’s classroom.

 _Shit!_ He thought as he read the grades again. _I’m such a failure - I’m an idiot and that’s all I’ll ever be._

A few minutes later, a petit woman entered the room. Her clothes were immaculate and her perfect blue nails complemented the forest green dress that she was wearing. “Oh Reiner!” she cooed, watching him from under heavy black eyelashes with sympathy. “You’ll have to re-sit the year. Did you even try?” She paused for a few seconds, waiting for any sort of answer, but when Reiner stayed quiet she continued. “I know these last few years have been unbelievably difficult for you and your brother but you must try. No one deserves to go through what you’ve been through … I understand why you would give up but you mustn’t.” Reiner honestly felt like crying. _How could she bring up the accident again?_ He knew she was only trying to help but using his parent’s deaths as a manipulating aid was unfair. “If you want to make something of your life …” she continued “… this is the time to do it. Leave this place with the grades you need and give yourself a chance in life, or you’ll end up with nothing.”

He bit back the tears before they had a chance to form, rolled his eyes at her and snorted. “It’s not like I have much of anything anyway. You don’t miss out on what you’ve never had.”

 “Oh Reiner, don’t be like that,” Miss Ral sighed. She tottered around the desk on high heels towards him and hauled herself up onto the desk next to him. They both stayed quiet for a bit, neither sure what to say next. The silence echoing uncomfortably in the empty school classroom. Reiner was twice her size and the thought of her being the adult in this situation was almost laughable.

“You don’t have nothing …” She finally whispered, “… you still have your brother, your home.”

He scoffed again as he thought of his dire home life; an empty house, a barely living business and a brother that was almost always drunk, even if he was elbows deep in engine parts. He couldn’t even remember the last time he spoke to Claus properly. Their conversations tended to happen in grunting or shouting more and more with every passing day.

“They aren’t something to be proud of. Come on Miss Ral, you know as well as I do that the head of year hates me – she wants me out of here and I have given her the proof that she needs to send me out on my arse.” Even though Reiner had accepted his fate, he was still disappointed with himself. Without knowing it, he let his emotions surface for a split second. “There’s nothing here for me anymore,” he murmured, dark eyes shining from the tears gathering in them. “I might as well just leave and never come back to this shitty town.” He didn’t allow himself to cry though, he wiped away the evidence with the black sleeve of his sixth form hoodie and turned his head away from her.

This time Miss Ral was the one to roll her eyes. She inched forward on the desk and peered around so that she had a better view of his face. Cocking one eyebrow she simply told him to “… grow a pair you wuss!” Petra knew all too well that if you wanted to get through to some more difficult pupils, especially the sensitive and caring ones like Reiner – even if he didn’t believe it himself, you only needed to speak their language. This time it seemed to work. 

Reiner glanced over at the small woman next to him, eyes wide. The mountain of muscles resembled a deer caught in the headlights – well, something a little larger than a deer from his sheer size. He didn’t expect that from her, but she was right. Reiner knew that he was a wuss and no matter how much he tried to feel better about himself, he just couldn’t. Dejected, he pulled his knees up, resting his feet on a nearby chair and hid his face between his palms. The familiar tight grip of emotion was suffocating his heart again. Reiner had let things slide far too much. Other people had lost a lot more than he had done and they somehow made it through. Why couldn’t he? He would love to be able to go back to being the energetic sports loving person that he used to be, but he just couldn’t find the path leading him back there.

Reiner just missed them so much. “You’re right,” he whispered. The words were muffled by his large hands.

“Come on Reiner. You can do this. I know you can. If you promise me that you’ll try I will put my arse on the line for you.”

“How?” The boy turned his head and was eyeing her with curiosity. _How could you possibly help me little woman – I’m already beyond help._

“I’ll put in a good word for you and I will promise them that you’ll pass with flying colours this year.”

Reiner sighed heavily and scrubbed a hand over his face. “But how will you do that? I’m thick Miss Ral – you and I know that.”

“You’re not thick. You just need a little … well help and before you argue with me …” she held one perfectly manicured nail up in front of his face to stop the next complaint he had before he could even utter the words. “… This will be my bargaining chip to get you back into school.” Reiner rolled his eyes again. “I already have someone in mind. He’s the same age as you, well, he’ll be a year above you now but he’s an A* student and has offered to tutor other pupils in his spare time.”

“Look, thanks for the help and all but I don’t need some overvalued, condescending nerd telling me what to do.” Reiner huffed as he rose from the bench and stretched his arms, the muscular shoulders popping happily under the added pressure. “I don’t need to be dragging another person down with me. I’m beyond help!”

“Don’t say that Reiner please. I’ve already spoken with him and he seems very keen to help you. He knew who you were instantly and said that he was free after school tomorrow.”

“He said he’d help even knowing that it was me that he’d be helping?” Reiner questioned, disbelieving. _People don’t tend to like me._

“Yes. So please say you’ll re-sit.” Miss Ral begged. “Do it for me Reiner, please.” Her eyes were bright and hopeful _and damn her. Who could resist that!_  Finally giving in Reiner nodded slowly.

“Great!” she boomed clapping her hands together once and jumping from her perch on the table. “It will be better this time around, I promise! This boy is a fantastic tutor and he also loves computers, which is fantastic for you – it gives you a conversation starter. So give him a chance. He’ll be waiting for you in the school library at three thirty tomorrow, so don’t be late.” Again, all he could do was nod.

Reiner rose from the desk, rolled his eyes at his teacher’s enthusiasm and with a mumbled thanks, he allowed Miss Ral to throw her arms around him in a tight embrace. Her frame was tiny compared to his own and he chuckled at the thought of how easily he could crush this woman if he wanted to – but she was one of the only people in this world that gave a shit about him.

One day he would thank her properly.

Reiner trudged back out into the quickly emptying corridor. The first day of school was over, with everyone except for the musclebound delinquent rushing home. He moved slowly through the stragglers, not really seeing anyone – just moving at his own pace. As he walked towards the bus stop, he found himself envying Miss Ral’s enthusiasm. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt enthusiastic about anything. He glanced around to see large clumps of people dotted about here and there, laughing and joking with their friends. He glared at the unwelcome show of affection and continued on towards the stop until the school building was far out of his sight and mind.

It was fair to say that he had distanced himself from everyone since the accident. His friends had soon had enough of his foul mood and painful insults. The teachers had all given up on him – everyone but Miss Ral of course. Even his relationship with his brother had obvious cracks.

 _What a shit day._ He thought to himself as he plopped down onto one of the seats near the back of the bright yellow bus. He wore his earphones and turned the music right up to block any noise other than his own loud thoughts. _I can’t believe that I used to be one of those popular ones. Just dossing around the grounds for hours laughing and joking about. It all seems like a dream – someone else’s life and so pointless now._

Reiner climbed down from the bus and walked the short distance along the rural backroad to his house. Thankfully, it was finally dark enough outside for him to trick himself into thinking that the shitty day was over at long last, but that was never the case. As he fought against the strengthening wind, the longer strands of his hair were swept all over the place as the cold rain did it’s best to plaster the dark mop and his clothes to his body.

Reaching the alley next to the house, he glanced quickly at the garage entrance. The workshop was dark, but squinting enough he could see that a dim light was flickering in the back. _Claus must be in the office – endless paperwork I suppose._ He was relieved, he seriously had no intention whatsoever of another epic argument with his brother tonight. His day had been disappointing enough as it was. Despite the small sliver of light, the family business was still devoid of life. This whole place often was nowadays. 

Reiner jogged the last few feet around the side of the building and headed for the steel staircase leading up to the second floor. Taking them two at a time, the old metal creaked and groaned under his weight. He unlocked the door and pushed his way into the dark hallway. A puff of mist rose around him as he let out a long breath and he kicked his shoes aside. The house was freezing again. Neither brother had bothered turning on the heat despite the chilly autumn, so he turned towards the bedrooms and padded quickly towards his sanctuary through the darkness. There was no point in switching the light on – it only reminded him of how empty this place really was. The house was bleak and dim, just like his mood.

Once inside his room he lit the small heater, its orange glow cutting across the darkness instantly. He changed out of his school clothes as quickly as he could, opting to throw the damned things into an ever-growing pile of clothes in the far corner, than bothering to find a hanger. Now in a comfortable pair of joggers and a dark t-shirt, he slumped into the chair in front of his computer screen  and got to work – by morning he would have another set of game footage ready to upload. His hobby ensured that the nightmares stayed at bay, and as long as he didn’t sleep he didn’t need to worry about them. He couldn’t remember the last full night’s sleep he’d had.

The computer equipment had become the only things that Reiner was interested in any more. His know-how made him feel better about himself and this is what he needed right now – to prove that he was worth something to someone. There were no exams in this world, it was the only thing that he could become immersed in without the depression of failure. As he began his work, the incessant noise from the machines managed to help drive away the grip of solitude he felt in the empty house.

He grabbed a blanket from the bed, slinging it over his shoulders and huddled in front of the computer screen for the night. It was going to be a long one.


End file.
